Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has asserted that Andhra Pradesh was against the “one policy fits all” approach. The States should have enough leeway to tailor any policy to suit their local needs, he said addressing 13th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council held at New Delhi.
Emphasising on the need for strengthening the States, Mr. Ramakrishnudu said, “The State government is of the view that the funds earmarked for States, as far as possible, should not be tied to rigid conditions prejudicial to good Centre-State relations.”
The Centre should also bestow greater authority and trust on States in centrally-sponsored schemes. It was also necessary to allow the democratic and constitutional processes to ensure greater accountability on money spent in the name of development, he said, adding, “Andhra Pradesh is also against any move by the Centre to bypass States and deal directly with Local Self Governments.”
Stating that A.P. played a pioneering role with regard to inter-linking of rivers, he said the Union government should liberally fund such innovative projects taken up by the States.
Referring to Terms of Reference of the 15th Finance Commission, he said that has advocated that 1971 population Census should be taken as the basis for devising formula for devolution of funds to the States.
Stating that the AP government would support some of the recommendations of Punchhi Commission, he said the provisions relating to environment, ecology and climate change should be included in concurrent List instead of Union list. It would enable the States to make legislation /regulations suitable to local conditions, he said.
